AN Albanian electrician who came to this country for a better life has been jailed for 12 months after being caught growing cannabis worth up to £136,000.

Lulezim Zdrava was arrested after Cleveland Police carried out a number of raids in Middlesbrough to disrupt an organised gang of drug producers.

Addresses on Cheltenham Avenue, Thornaby, Warwick Street and Dorothy Street, both Middlesbrough, were raided with hundreds of cannabis plants recovered.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 44-year-old was spotted throwing away a mobile phone when he tried to evade arrest on October 17 when police searched an address on Dorothy Street, which contained 162 cannabis plants in four distinct grow areas.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said the value of the plants was estimated to be between £45,000 and £136,000.

He added: "It is a substantial commercial grow, it's estimated the address was capable of producing cannabis on an annual basis in excess of £400,000."

Zdrava, of no fixed abode, admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis over a six-week period from September 9 until October 17 last year.

In mitigation, Michele Turner said electrician Zdrava was very naive when he left his native Albania but had been unable to find legitimate work in the UK.

She added: "That plan didn't work out and he was very much exploited by those at the head of this endeavour."

Judge Paul Watson QC jailed the defendant to 12 months in custody.

He said: "For a period of several weeks last year, you were responsible for looking after a substantial cannabis growing operation that was being carried out on a commercial scale.

"It is thought that the potential for the cannabis grown was worth up to £400,000 a year."